Ashwagandha (withania somnifera) is popularly known as the king of Ayurvedic herbs.
Ayurveda is a form of alternative medicine based on Indian principles of natural healing. It is an incredibly healthy botanical, often referred to as Indian Ginseng. It is a small plant with yellow flowers that is native to India and North Africa.
It is classified as an adaptogenic herb, and while all adaptogens reduce stress (cortisol), ashwagandha's ability to do so is superior to the rest.
Ashwagandha has many benefits for the brain, where it can increase energy, sharpen focus, and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. It has been used this way for over 3,000 years.
Its name literally means "smell of a horse" since it was said to bestow the strength and stamina of a horse on anyone who used it. An Ayurvedic scholar from 100BC, Charaka, said of Ashwagandha, "One obtains longevity, regains youth, gets a sharp memory and intellect and freedom from diseases, gets a lustrous complexion, and strength of a horse."
The most well-known active ingredients in Ashwagandha are withanolides. Alongside these valuable compounds are many other beneficial elements, including flavonoids and antioxidants such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione, which is known as the "mother of all antioxidants." It also contains alkaloids, amino acids (including tryptophan), neurotransmitters, sterols, tannins, lignans and triterpenes. It is these valuable compounds together that allow for ashwagandha's hugely beneficial pharmacological activities.
Due to the combined benefits of the herb's valuable compounds, we used a 20:1 full-spectrum concentrated extract, which is made up of at least 5% withanolides. This means that each 100mg serve in a Savvy product is equivalent to 2 grams of this superherb!
The reason we love it in our Savvy products is because Ashwagandha has been proven to:
- Reduce stress, anxiety, and mental fatigue; and
- Increase mood, enhance brain function and improve memory; and
- Boost performance + energy while being a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant; and
- Support healthy brains and hearts.
I am sure you can now see the amazing benefits of Ashwagandha and why we use it in Savvy.
